VOLUME 109, ISSUE NO. 27 | STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 | RICETHRESHER.ORG | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2025
KONSTANTIN SAVVON / THRESHER Students dance on Will Rice College’s Perch during Dis-O on move-in weekend. Several students were transported to the hospital for intoxication.
Dis-O, move-in weekend see increase in alcohol transports from last semester JULIANA LIGHTSEY
MANAGING EDITOR
Rice’s first wet weekend of the year saw four times as many calls for intoxicationrelated transports of students to the hospital compared to the previous three years, according to emails sent out by college presidents and chief justices. The weekend coincided with Dis-O, an event following freshman Orientation Week meant to introduce new students to party culture at Rice. According to an email sent to Baker College by Chief Justice Alex Giangiorgi, Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman called an emergency meeting with the residential college presidents on Monday to discuss the alcohol consumption over the weekend. Giangiorgi wrote that a campuswide alcohol ban was considered in the meeting. “Threats of a dry campus being levied were seriously discussed,” wrote Giangiorgi, a junior, in his email. “If the behavior patterns from the weekend continue this week, it is very likely we will face campuswide sanctions.” According to a GroupMe message sent by Sid Richardson College President Arjun Surya, college presidents were told that many of the hospital transports were for freshmen.
The Office of the Dean of Undergraduates also cancelled all social committee events for Will Rice College for the first week of classes, according to an email sent by Will Rice President Mary Margaret Speed. Speed wrote that the cancellations were due to “many violations to the Alcohol Policy” as well as failure to properly register the events. Jones College Chief Justice Sam Forman wrote in an email to his college that the administration is also carefully watching Jones College concerning alcohol consumption. Forman said that the upcoming public, Martel’s “Don’t Mess With Texas” party, would be watched closely. “If anything like what happened on Saturday happens again this week or at Martel Texas Party … campus will go dry,” wrote Forman, a junior. “Specifically, we have extra eyes on us.” Bridget Gorman, dean of undergraduates, said she was concerned and disappointed by the incidents. “As part of their orientation, all students receive alcohol education training, and our alcohol policies and expectations exist for a reason,” Gorman wrote in an email to the Thresher. “Excessive drinking is unhealthy and dangerous, and more broadly falls short of our standards for personal responsibility, civility and respect for others. I am working closely with college magisters and student
leaders to reinforce these expectations for behavior among our students.” Rice last faced campuswide alcohol sanctions following Wiess College’s public party, “Night of Decadence,” in October 2023. The party was shut down early after more than two dozen students required medical treatment, and seven Rice students were transported to hospitals. Following the incident, public parties were cancelled through spring break, an alcohol policy advisory committee was convened to reevaluate the university’s alcohol policies and NOD was permanently cancelled. Although a specific number of emergency transports from move-in weekend was not released, Lovett College President Ayush Suresh said in an email to his college that the number of students transported was comparable to the seven NOD transports. “This rivals numbers last reached at the NOD public in 2023, which caused campus to go dry for an entire semester,” wrote Suresh, a senior. The college presidents and chief justices emphasized the importance of safe drinking practices, avoiding hard alcohol and holding other students accountable in their messages. “We just want to be more intentional about how we drink at Rice and make sure that everyone can engage safely with events at Rice,” Suresh wrote.
On-campus meal plan changed to unlimited swipes JAMES CANCELARICH
NEWS EDITOR
Housing and Dining recently revealed a new dining plan for the upcoming semester. The required on-campus meal plan now has unlimited meal swipes, compared to 375 meal swipes last year. H&D said the previous on-campus meal plan was for students who intended to eat on campus 15 to 25 meals a week. The price for the required oncampus meal plan was raised to $3,200 from last year’s $3,050. Beth Leaver, the interim assistant vice president for housing, dining and hospitality, said that the cost increase was unrelated to the new unlimited swipe program.
SEE SWIPES PAGE 2
Football student section relocated, renamed ANDERSEN PICKARD
SPORTS EDITOR
The Rice Stadium student section has been relocated to sections 106 and 107 and renamed “The Nest,” according to Rice Athletics. Previously, the student section was sections 115 and 116, which are located on the visitors’ side of the field near the south end zone. The announcement relocates students to the home side of the field near the north end zone, close to the ramp that players and staff use to get onto the field. Rice Athletics wrote that the relocation will move students “out of the sun and into the fun.” With all home games scheduled for the afternoon or evening, moving students will help keep
them shielded from the sun. “Shifting the student section to a cooler, shaded area will be a gamechanger and bring students closer to the action for key moments like the team entrance,” Student Association President Trevor Tobey wrote in a message to the Thresher. The decision to relocate the student section was made collaboratively by Rice Athletics, Rice Rally Club and members of the Student Association, according to deputy athletic director for external affairs and revenue generation, Kevin Dwan. Rice Rally co-president Priya Armour said that Rice Rally has been asking for a new student section for a while now. “We really wanted to give students a place where they could sit comfortably
for the game, to hopefully encourage more people to stay for longer,” Armour said. Armour said that, during previous seasons, many students would relocate to the home side of the field or leave the stadium altogether, rather than spending the entire game in the designated student section. Rice Athletics sought community input in naming the upgraded student section. An email went out to all students July 28 with a form to submit name ideas. The five most popular ideas were put to a final vote. Students’ first opportunity to enjoy the new seating arrangement will be Sept. 6 at 6 p.m., when Rice hosts its home opener against the University of Houston.
KONSTANTIN SAVVON / THRESHER A sign shows where to enter West Servery. Housing and Dining recently revealed a new meal plan for the current academic year.